John 21:1-19
“Struck Down, Full of Fish, Redeemed and Forgiven”
Preached Sunday, May 1, 2022
Okay - let me go ahead and state the obvious: those were some long Scriptures! And we’re really going to dig into the stories we just heard, so without further ado:
Story 1 from Acts:
Saul is breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. In the chapters before this Saul oversaw and approved of the killing of Stephen the first Chritian martyr. The Bible says that Saul was ravaging the church. He was ransacking homes, arresting people, putting them in jail. In the reading from today he continues to look for ways to persecute those who were following the teachings of Jesus.
The Scripture paints the picture of a power-hungry man. He got the taste of power when people laid their cloaks at his feet and a man was killed before him. Here was a man on what he believed as a mission from God, a righteous mission - a crusade, if you will. And he had power and control and access to violence to do it.
He sounds like some people today. People that I’m honestly scared of. Scared of the power they crave, the control they wield, the violence they enact or oversee. Scared that they believe that what they are doing is sacred and they will achieve it by any means - not afraid of who they step over or on, who gets stoned and dies on the way. It’s truly frightening to me how many people think their so-called missions are from God when their end game is hate. White supremacists and nationalists are on the top of my mind - those who spew hatred of those who are different than them: different race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion - they say: I am right and you are wrong so I will hurt you, you don’t deserve to live a full life, or even live at all… and they cloak it in religious language to justify the violence. And so often people hear the religious language and it’s like a wolf in sheep’s clothing and they are fooled, swallowing agendas that are so far removed from the two greatest commandments, love of God and love of neighbor. Saul was a long way off from those two greatest commandments too.
If I was ever going to call someone an enemy, it would be Saul and men like him. If there was ever anyone to avoid, anyone to completely write off, anyone to give up on seeing any glimmer of good in - it would be Saul.
We’ll come back to this story but for now, story 2 from John:
The disciples have a lot on their minds. It’s been about a week since the resurrection of Jesus. They’ve seen Jesus twice since then. I think Peter and the other disciples were still trying to figure out what all this could mean, trying to figure out what their next steps were, trying to figure out how their lives were going to change - were they? What was next? Talk about information overload. And in that moment where the future was unknown and scary Peter says, I’m going fishing. He was a fisherman after all, before he started following the rabbi from Nazareth around. And the other disciples say: I’m going with you. In a time of uncertainty, of an unknown future, they return to what was familiar…only to not catch a single fish. Only to spend the whole night with their nets empty. Talk about a hopeless situation. I bet they were about ready to throw in the towel - not just on fishing but maybe the whole thing, the whole Jesus thing, the whole disciple thing - so many possible paths were before them…I know I can get decision fatigue or overwhelmed when I don’t know what the future holds. I bet the disciples felt that ten fold.
Bear with me here - it reminds me of the current dialogue about talking about climate change with Gen Z. Educators and climate activists are trying to find the line between correctly describing the predicament we are in and not pushing the students into despair or nihilism, instead giving them hope for a better future and equipping them with the tools to help shape that future.
Environmental Studies Professor, Sarah Jaquette Ray said this about teaching climate change to Gen Z students in a 2020 article from Fortune:
“Digging into environmental studies introduces young people to the myriad ways that our world’s interconnectedness threatens the future. Some students become so overwhelmed with despair and grief that they shut down. Many stop coming to lectures and seminars. They send depressed, despairing emails. They lose their bearings, question their relationships and education, and barely pass their classes…They often seem on the brink of nihilism before we even cover the syllabus.”
Saul is breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. In the chapters before this Saul oversaw and approved of the killing of Stephen the first Chritian martyr. The Bible says that Saul was ravaging the church. He was ransacking homes, arresting people, putting them in jail. In the reading from today he continues to look for ways to persecute those who were following the teachings of Jesus.
The Scripture paints the picture of a power-hungry man. He got the taste of power when people laid their cloaks at his feet and a man was killed before him. Here was a man on what he believed as a mission from God, a righteous mission - a crusade, if you will. And he had power and control and access to violence to do it.
He sounds like some people today. People that I’m honestly scared of. Scared of the power they crave, the control they wield, the violence they enact or oversee. Scared that they believe that what they are doing is sacred and they will achieve it by any means - not afraid of who they step over or on, who gets stoned and dies on the way. It’s truly frightening to me how many people think their so-called missions are from God when their end game is hate. White supremacists and nationalists are on the top of my mind - those who spew hatred of those who are different than them: different race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion - they say: I am right and you are wrong so I will hurt you, you don’t deserve to live a full life, or even live at all… and they cloak it in religious language to justify the violence. And so often people hear the religious language and it’s like a wolf in sheep’s clothing and they are fooled, swallowing agendas that are so far removed from the two greatest commandments, love of God and love of neighbor. Saul was a long way off from those two greatest commandments too.
If I was ever going to call someone an enemy, it would be Saul and men like him. If there was ever anyone to avoid, anyone to completely write off, anyone to give up on seeing any glimmer of good in - it would be Saul.
We’ll come back to this story but for now, story 2 from John:
The disciples have a lot on their minds. It’s been about a week since the resurrection of Jesus. They’ve seen Jesus twice since then. I think Peter and the other disciples were still trying to figure out what all this could mean, trying to figure out what their next steps were, trying to figure out how their lives were going to change - were they? What was next? Talk about information overload. And in that moment where the future was unknown and scary Peter says, I’m going fishing. He was a fisherman after all, before he started following the rabbi from Nazareth around. And the other disciples say: I’m going with you. In a time of uncertainty, of an unknown future, they return to what was familiar…only to not catch a single fish. Only to spend the whole night with their nets empty. Talk about a hopeless situation. I bet they were about ready to throw in the towel - not just on fishing but maybe the whole thing, the whole Jesus thing, the whole disciple thing - so many possible paths were before them…I know I can get decision fatigue or overwhelmed when I don’t know what the future holds. I bet the disciples felt that ten fold.
Bear with me here - it reminds me of the current dialogue about talking about climate change with Gen Z. Educators and climate activists are trying to find the line between correctly describing the predicament we are in and not pushing the students into despair or nihilism, instead giving them hope for a better future and equipping them with the tools to help shape that future.
Environmental Studies Professor, Sarah Jaquette Ray said this about teaching climate change to Gen Z students in a 2020 article from Fortune:
“Digging into environmental studies introduces young people to the myriad ways that our world’s interconnectedness threatens the future. Some students become so overwhelmed with despair and grief that they shut down. Many stop coming to lectures and seminars. They send depressed, despairing emails. They lose their bearings, question their relationships and education, and barely pass their classes…They often seem on the brink of nihilism before we even cover the syllabus.”
(https://fortune.com/2020/08/19/generation-z-climate-change-activism/)
Sometimes the situation just seems hopeless - perhaps something that disciples on that fishing boat and today’s students of the environment would agree upon.
And now our third story - but we have to go back to the story of Holy Week first:
The story of how Peter, who swore he would never deny or betray Jesus, denied knowing him 3 times in order to save his own skin. Denied ever knowing him, following him, having anything to do with him. And Jesus had known he was going to do it. Had told Peter such. And now he was alive again? How could he ever look Jesus in the eye again? He had messed up so royally - he had betrayed Jesus and everything he had ever stood for. Maybe he felt like he barely knew who he was anymore - beating himself up with shame and remorse. On that hopeless fishing boat, maybe he thought it was time to go home with his tail between his legs.
I think all of us can relate to Peter just by being human. We’ve all felt shame. We’ve all felt remorse. We’ve all messed up. We’ve all wanted to walk away, at some point or another.
Okay - wow. This is kind of depressing, isn’t it! Let’s take a deep breath - breathe out despair and breathe in hope - because remember, these stories aren’t over yet.
Back to Saul:
This man who deserves to be written off. This man who wields power and control and violence. Who has stoned a man, ransacked homes, thrown people in prison all for his agenda…he is struck down, struck blind, and hears, clear as day, the voice of Jesus: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
At this same time a disciple named Ananias had a vision from God to welcome Paul into his home and heal him of his blindness. And Ananias is like, “You’ve GOT to be kidding me!? Saul is the worst! I’d be putting my life at risk!” And yet Jesus tells him again to do it. And he does. Scales fall from Saul’s eyes. Saul is baptized. He stays in the house with Ananias and the other disciples for several days - man, I would have loved to have known what conversations were had in that house between Saul and the disciples in those days - and then Scripture says “and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying ‘He is the Son of God.’”
Saul, who we know as Paul, was completely and utterly redeemed. A man who would have scared any of us. A man hellbent on a misguided mission of hate and violence…he is irrevocably changed, redeemed - because God didn’t give up on him. And Ananias and the disciples in Damascus didn’t give up on him. If they had written Saul off like he deserved to be - how different his fate would have been - and the fate of the Church today - built so much on Paul’s letters.
Saul reminds us that no one is beyond redemption - not even those who seek power and control and wield violence today.
In preparation for this sermon I read stories about white nationalists who have left that life and ideology. I read one story about Derek Black, a young man who was raised by his parents to be at the center of the white nationalist movement. He curated a website alongside his father that actually targeted children and youth to draw them into the white nationalist movement. It’s a very long story, Derek’s is. But it’s a story of widening his world view of learning - it’s a story of a Jewish classmate, Matthew Stevenson, who, knowing who Derek was, invited him to weekly Shabbat dinners - much like Ananias opened his home to Paul. Derek eventually denounced white nationalism, which led to his parents denouncing him. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/the-white-flight-of-derek-black/2016/10/15/ed5f906a-8f3b-11e6-a6a3-d50061aa9fae_story.html)
There are actually many stories like Derek’s. Of people leaving cults of hate, often because they came to know those they were supposed to hate as loving, kind people. It’s hard to leave behind everything you’ve ever known - but when it’s leaving behind hate and moving toward love - never say impossible.
And so, back to the hopeless fishing boat with the disciples.
After a long night with empty nets, just as they were about to throw in the towel - a man appears on the beach. He calls out to them and tells them to cast the net on the other side of the boat. And as they do their nets are overflowing - they can hardly pull them in - it turns out to be 153 large fish! To go from ZERO for HOURS to such a large bounty - the man on the beach it had to be Jesus. Who else could take a hopeless situation and turn it into a feast? The disciples had fish in their nets now, yes - and they likely also had hope in their hearts. There was a future for them - a future of purpose and joy - as long as they followed the man on the beach, as long as they didn’t lose sight of Jesus.
And while many Gen Z and others regardless of generation, can so easily sink into nihilism, they’re also springing to action. “According to Pew, 32% of Gen Z respondents have participated in at least one major environmental action of the course of the past year, such as donating, volunteering, attending a rally, or contacting an elected official.” This is a whole 12 percent more than baby boomers. Yes, there is a lot to be done. But is it hopeless? No, not when there are bright young people who make the environment their top priority - of which 76% of Gen Z say it is their number one issue they care about. (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/06/gen-z-climate-change-careers-jobs)
I pray that no situation in my life or this world is ever truly hopeless - I pray that all of us could have hope and act on it for the sake of our planet and each other, for love of God and love of neighbor.
And now, one more story to finish:
When the disciples start pulling the fish up into the boat, Peter abandons ship. Not to run away from Jesus, but to run - or in this case, swim - toward him. He may have been wondering how he could ever look him in the eyes again. He messed up so massively. But now he knows - he NEEDS to look Jesus in the eyes again. He needs to be with him right now - no, he couldn’t even wait for the boat to make it to shore. He puts on clothes and jumps in the water and swims to shore…and Jesus asks him, “Do you love me?” Peter says, “Yes, you know I love you!” A second time Jesus asks him, ‘Do you love me?” Peter says, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” And now a third time Jesus asks him. “Do you love me?” And the text says that Peter is hurt by this. I wonder if Peter was wondering - have I messed up this badly? This badly that you no longer believe what I say? Is it so bad that you no longer believe I love you? Have I messed up to the point I’m irreparable? But this third time, Jesus accepts his answer of “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you.” You know everything - all the times I’ve messed up. All the times I’ve denied you. All the shame and remorse I’ve felt - and now too - my love for you. Denied 3 times, Jesus now has given Peter the ability to walk back every denial with a statement of love. And he gives him forgiveness and purpose - don’t go home like a dog with your tail between your legs - follow me, feed my sheep - go wherever life takes you, follow me until the end. And we know that Peter does just that, faithfully loving and serving Jesus until he dies for him.
Peter reminds us that there is always forgiveness. That no sin, no mess up, no betrayal or denial of love of God or love of neighbor - it is ever beyond forgiveness.
Today we’ve looked at three stories from Scripture - people or situations that seemed utterly hopeless - but through the power of Jesus Christ, violence was struck down and its perpetrator redeemed. Nets were filled with fish and hearts were filled with hope. Statements of love were made and forgiveness found.
And all of this is the case because of the central story of our faith. One more story from Scripture, I promise to make it quick. And that story is:
That God loves us so much that God became human form in Jesus, lived and taught among us, healed and showed the way of love. And when the Good of Love died at a cross at the rejection of the world, not even the grave could hold him. Death was defeated. Christ was resurrected - and better yet, he shares his victory over death with us.
Because of this, because of the central story of our faith - there is no story that is ever a lost cause or hopeless - there is no story, no situation, no person ever beyond the hope and hand of God.
May we live as if this is so.
Amen.
Sometimes the situation just seems hopeless - perhaps something that disciples on that fishing boat and today’s students of the environment would agree upon.
And now our third story - but we have to go back to the story of Holy Week first:
The story of how Peter, who swore he would never deny or betray Jesus, denied knowing him 3 times in order to save his own skin. Denied ever knowing him, following him, having anything to do with him. And Jesus had known he was going to do it. Had told Peter such. And now he was alive again? How could he ever look Jesus in the eye again? He had messed up so royally - he had betrayed Jesus and everything he had ever stood for. Maybe he felt like he barely knew who he was anymore - beating himself up with shame and remorse. On that hopeless fishing boat, maybe he thought it was time to go home with his tail between his legs.
I think all of us can relate to Peter just by being human. We’ve all felt shame. We’ve all felt remorse. We’ve all messed up. We’ve all wanted to walk away, at some point or another.
Okay - wow. This is kind of depressing, isn’t it! Let’s take a deep breath - breathe out despair and breathe in hope - because remember, these stories aren’t over yet.
Back to Saul:
This man who deserves to be written off. This man who wields power and control and violence. Who has stoned a man, ransacked homes, thrown people in prison all for his agenda…he is struck down, struck blind, and hears, clear as day, the voice of Jesus: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
At this same time a disciple named Ananias had a vision from God to welcome Paul into his home and heal him of his blindness. And Ananias is like, “You’ve GOT to be kidding me!? Saul is the worst! I’d be putting my life at risk!” And yet Jesus tells him again to do it. And he does. Scales fall from Saul’s eyes. Saul is baptized. He stays in the house with Ananias and the other disciples for several days - man, I would have loved to have known what conversations were had in that house between Saul and the disciples in those days - and then Scripture says “and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying ‘He is the Son of God.’”
Saul, who we know as Paul, was completely and utterly redeemed. A man who would have scared any of us. A man hellbent on a misguided mission of hate and violence…he is irrevocably changed, redeemed - because God didn’t give up on him. And Ananias and the disciples in Damascus didn’t give up on him. If they had written Saul off like he deserved to be - how different his fate would have been - and the fate of the Church today - built so much on Paul’s letters.
Saul reminds us that no one is beyond redemption - not even those who seek power and control and wield violence today.
In preparation for this sermon I read stories about white nationalists who have left that life and ideology. I read one story about Derek Black, a young man who was raised by his parents to be at the center of the white nationalist movement. He curated a website alongside his father that actually targeted children and youth to draw them into the white nationalist movement. It’s a very long story, Derek’s is. But it’s a story of widening his world view of learning - it’s a story of a Jewish classmate, Matthew Stevenson, who, knowing who Derek was, invited him to weekly Shabbat dinners - much like Ananias opened his home to Paul. Derek eventually denounced white nationalism, which led to his parents denouncing him. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/the-white-flight-of-derek-black/2016/10/15/ed5f906a-8f3b-11e6-a6a3-d50061aa9fae_story.html)
There are actually many stories like Derek’s. Of people leaving cults of hate, often because they came to know those they were supposed to hate as loving, kind people. It’s hard to leave behind everything you’ve ever known - but when it’s leaving behind hate and moving toward love - never say impossible.
And so, back to the hopeless fishing boat with the disciples.
After a long night with empty nets, just as they were about to throw in the towel - a man appears on the beach. He calls out to them and tells them to cast the net on the other side of the boat. And as they do their nets are overflowing - they can hardly pull them in - it turns out to be 153 large fish! To go from ZERO for HOURS to such a large bounty - the man on the beach it had to be Jesus. Who else could take a hopeless situation and turn it into a feast? The disciples had fish in their nets now, yes - and they likely also had hope in their hearts. There was a future for them - a future of purpose and joy - as long as they followed the man on the beach, as long as they didn’t lose sight of Jesus.
And while many Gen Z and others regardless of generation, can so easily sink into nihilism, they’re also springing to action. “According to Pew, 32% of Gen Z respondents have participated in at least one major environmental action of the course of the past year, such as donating, volunteering, attending a rally, or contacting an elected official.” This is a whole 12 percent more than baby boomers. Yes, there is a lot to be done. But is it hopeless? No, not when there are bright young people who make the environment their top priority - of which 76% of Gen Z say it is their number one issue they care about. (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/06/gen-z-climate-change-careers-jobs)
I pray that no situation in my life or this world is ever truly hopeless - I pray that all of us could have hope and act on it for the sake of our planet and each other, for love of God and love of neighbor.
And now, one more story to finish:
When the disciples start pulling the fish up into the boat, Peter abandons ship. Not to run away from Jesus, but to run - or in this case, swim - toward him. He may have been wondering how he could ever look him in the eyes again. He messed up so massively. But now he knows - he NEEDS to look Jesus in the eyes again. He needs to be with him right now - no, he couldn’t even wait for the boat to make it to shore. He puts on clothes and jumps in the water and swims to shore…and Jesus asks him, “Do you love me?” Peter says, “Yes, you know I love you!” A second time Jesus asks him, ‘Do you love me?” Peter says, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” And now a third time Jesus asks him. “Do you love me?” And the text says that Peter is hurt by this. I wonder if Peter was wondering - have I messed up this badly? This badly that you no longer believe what I say? Is it so bad that you no longer believe I love you? Have I messed up to the point I’m irreparable? But this third time, Jesus accepts his answer of “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you.” You know everything - all the times I’ve messed up. All the times I’ve denied you. All the shame and remorse I’ve felt - and now too - my love for you. Denied 3 times, Jesus now has given Peter the ability to walk back every denial with a statement of love. And he gives him forgiveness and purpose - don’t go home like a dog with your tail between your legs - follow me, feed my sheep - go wherever life takes you, follow me until the end. And we know that Peter does just that, faithfully loving and serving Jesus until he dies for him.
Peter reminds us that there is always forgiveness. That no sin, no mess up, no betrayal or denial of love of God or love of neighbor - it is ever beyond forgiveness.
Today we’ve looked at three stories from Scripture - people or situations that seemed utterly hopeless - but through the power of Jesus Christ, violence was struck down and its perpetrator redeemed. Nets were filled with fish and hearts were filled with hope. Statements of love were made and forgiveness found.
And all of this is the case because of the central story of our faith. One more story from Scripture, I promise to make it quick. And that story is:
That God loves us so much that God became human form in Jesus, lived and taught among us, healed and showed the way of love. And when the Good of Love died at a cross at the rejection of the world, not even the grave could hold him. Death was defeated. Christ was resurrected - and better yet, he shares his victory over death with us.
Because of this, because of the central story of our faith - there is no story that is ever a lost cause or hopeless - there is no story, no situation, no person ever beyond the hope and hand of God.
May we live as if this is so.
Amen.
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